Atlanta’s Mike Minor had an absolutely horrible night, allowing 8 runs and 10 hits, along with 4 walks in five innings. Colorado struck him hard in the first, when he sandwiched walks to Dexter Fowler and Todd Helton around a Carlos Gonzalez single, then gave-up a grand slam to Michael Cuddyer. In the second Minor gave-up singles to Jamie Moyer and Marco Scutaro, then Gonzalez doubled to give the Rockies a 6-0 lead. Yet the young left-hander escaped with a no-decision as the Rockies blew a significant early-inning lead for the second consecutive night.
In the top of the third Colorado gave one back thanks to sloppy defense by super-stars Troy Tulowitzski and Gonzalez, then in the fifth Atlanta got to Colorado starter Jamie Moyer for two more on Minor and Brian McCann singles sandwiched around a Chipper Jones double. Jones, who will play his final game at Coors Field tomorrow afternoon, went 3-6 with five RBI after going 3-5 with two on Friday night. But Colorado was not fazed, and catcher Wilin Rosario delivered a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning to put the Rockies back up 8-3.
The Braves however had by the sixth caught-on to Moyer’s act, and Matt Diaz and Jason Heyward delivered back-to-back solo shots to open the inning. Tyler Pastornicky then lined a hard single in front of Cuddyer in right, ending the night for Moyer. Esmil Rogers came-on and was an unblemished disaster. The right-hander had command of none of his pitches, walking the first batter he faced, Juan Francisco, then allowing singles to Michael Bourn and Jones, driving-in Pastornicky and Francisco. On a 1-1 count to Freddie Freeman Rogers wild-pitched, Bourn and Jones moving-up a base each. Colorado catcher Rosario blocked pitches to his left. He blocked pitches to his right. He blocked one back to his left again. To his right. Freeman grounded-out and Bourn scored, Jones to third. It was 8-8.
With Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy short of relievers, Rogers came back to start the seventh, giving-up a single to Matt Diaz to lead-off the inning. Jason Heyward then sent a towering blast down the right-field line that was ruled-foul, prompting the first official video-review in Rockies history. The call stood, but four pitches later Heyward was at first on Rogers’ third walk. With Pastornicky at the plate Rogers attempted to pick-off Diaz at second-base, but Tulowitzski declined to cover, moving Diaz to third and Heyward to second. Pastornicky then lined a shot foul into the first-base stands, where a spectator was struck in the head. Play was delayed as medical personnel tended to the woman, then Pastornicky grounded-out to Scutaro. Rogers, appetite apparently whetted by the off-field calamity, promptly drilled pinch-hitter Martin Prado in the back with his next pitch to load the bases. Rex Brothers relieved Rogers and walked center-fielder Bourn, giving Atlanta its first lead. Jones singled, driving-in Heyward and Prado, and Bourn scored on a sacrifice fly from Freeman. 12-8 Braves.
Colorado got a run-back in the bottom of the inning on Rosario’s second homer of the night, then mid-way through the Rockies’ eighth the game was delayed 69 minutes when a hard rain-storm swept into the Lodo area. When play resumed Atlanta brought-on the immortal Livan Hernandez, who induced Helton to ground into an inning-ending double-play with Gonzalez and Tulowitzski on base. Atlanta added a run in the top of the ninth when Bourn drove a moon-shot to center that Tyler Colvin muffed on the warning track, scoring Prado, who had opened the inning with a walk from Edgmer Escalona. Hernandez set Colorado down 1-2-3 in the ninth and earned the save.
Rockies’ manager Tracy called the team’s performance its worst of the season, and labelled the pitching “unacceptable.” Rogers rightfully took the loss, returning to action after a rest day following several gritty performances earlier in the week. Rogers continues to confound, unhittable some nights, combustible on others.
Colorado will try to salvage the series finale tomorrow, sending Juan Nicasio to the mound to oppose Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy. First pitch is at 1:10 pm. TV on Root, radio 850 KOA.
MINOR V MOYER IN MIDDLE MATCH-UPC
Colorado Aims to Even Series
24 year-old Mike Minor makes his 28th career start tonight for the Atlanta Braves, 6:10 pm at Coors Field, his first against the Colorado Rockies. Minor will be making his sixth start of 2012. He stands 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 32 2/3 innings pitched. Colorado’s Jamie Moyer on the other hand makes his 634th MLB start in the match-up, also his sixth of 2012. Moyer stands 1-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 28 2/3 innings pitched. Atlanta rookie shortstop Tyler Pastornicky completed high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida just prior to the enrollment of Moyer’s eldest son Dylan at the school.
The Rockies will be looking to even the three game set with the Braves at 1-1 after falling in 11 innings to Atlanta on Friday evening. Colorado starter Guillermo Moscoso was unable to preserve a 5-0 first inning Rockies advantage and was optioned by the club back to AAA affiliate Colorado Springs after the loss. Right-hander Adam Ottavino was recalled to take Moscoso’s roster spot, and infielder/catcher Jordan Pacheco was recalled to replace Eric Young, Jr, who has been placed on the bereavement list. Pacheco, who started the season in Denver, has been ripping it up in Colorado Springs since his April 15 demotion, hitting .433 with four doubles, three homers and 10 RBI in 17 games.
The teams face-off on Cinco de Mayo following the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby, where trainer Doug O’Neill’s I’ll Have Another ($32.60, $13.80, $9.00) of Reddam Racing and Owner J. Paul Reddam, with Mario Gutierrez up, triumphed over Bodemeister ($6.20, $5.60) and Dullahan ($7.20) in perfect conditions at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. The line-ups:
Atlanta (15-11) Colorado (12-13)
CF Michael Bourn 2B Marco Scutaro
3B Chipper Jones CF Dexter Fowler
1B Freddie Freeman LF Carlos Gonzalez
C Brian McCann SS Troy Tulowitzski
2B Dan Uggla 1B Todd Helton
LF Matt Diaz RF Michael Cuddyer
RF Jayson Heyward C Wilin Rosario
SS Tyler Pastornicky 3B Chris Nelson
P Mike Minor P Jamie Moyer
I’ll apologize before hand if I treat this like a chat room. Hope there are more posters than last night.
Probably doesn’t mean anything but Pacheco is in the Rockies dugout tonight.
Let’s see if Moyer and the bullpen can hold onto their 6-0 lead tonight.
EY is on bereavement, thats why you see Pacheco.
Can’t believe the errors from Tulo and Cargo…? What the heck. Also, can Tulo get his pop ups out of his system please. Stop trying to hit the long ball. This is why he shouldn’t be a cleanup hitter.
That said, Nelson has been steady in the field tonight thus far. Hope the baseball gods reward him with a nice double or HR tonight.
Top of the 3rd: errors on easy plays by Tulo and CarGo give the Braves a run.
Bottom of the 3rd: stupid baserunning decision by Cuddyer (or was it Dauer as 3B coach?) means runner on 3rd with 1 out, not runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs. The out is way more important in this situation than moving the trail runner into scoring position. We probably give up a run there too.
So sloppy play and mental errors make this a 6-1 game instead of a 7-0 game.
Hey, but at least we still have a 5-run lead. It’s not like we’ve ever surrendered one of those, right? I mean, not since last night …
3 hits by Cargo followed by 3 pop ups by Tulo.
Update: a walk by Cargo followed by a GIDP by Tulo.
Moscoso was sent down to Colorado Springs today.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/rockies/2012/05/05/rockies-jeremy-guthrie-pitch-tuesday-rotation-remains-flux/11843/
Good game so far! I gotta go get my Mexicano drink on now though. Hopefully we keep it up. GO ROX!
getting dicey.
Another Rox starter fails to get a quality start.
Never thought I’d write this…Jamie’s time is up.
An unnamed Rox coach told me in ST that if teams were patient against Moyer he would be routinely “rocked.”
I’m going to go out on a limb and guarantee a Rox loss tonight. Again.
Jeez, how many runs do Rockies have to get to overcome this truly woeful pitching? When Moyer was just taken deep twice in the 6th, he still got a standing ovation. Has it come to that?
And the Toyota comment line lazily goes about running the silky-smooth, non-controversial words from viewers…no negatives from TV posters allowed. No negative comments regarding the atrocious pitching performances from KOA or ROOT Sports.
All is sugar and spice and all things nice.
Sorry for the rant, but I cannot stomach the radio and, especially, the TV hacks. All positive, no negatives. Please.
Ed, superb points all. I actually put a a ribbon over the crawler so I don’t have to read the inane comments. And you’re spot-on about the radio and TV coverage ( I would add much of the print media as well) being bad AND boring, a lethal combination. And, of course, no negativity. If a guy is in a 2-for-25 slump, he’s “scuffling a little bit.” That’s about as far as they’ll go.
i won’t count this offense out. will the pen allow this offense to win it? probably don’t want to pitch Betancourt or Reynolds tonight.
Ed, interesting insight on Moyer. Seems like he can still be reasonably effective in a 5th starter way the first couple times through the order. By the third time? Not good.
Is there a place in MLB for a starting pitcher who’s really limited to 5 innings? I don’t know. If the Rockies otherwise had strong starting pitching the bullpen might be able to carry that. But as we all know, that’s not the case.
To lose 5-0 and 6-1 leads in consecutive nights is depressing. Even Drew can’t pretend otherwise …
The problem with getting rid of Moyer is the replacement would be little better. Thats the problem with having 7 or 8 equally mediocre pitchers. Next one up stinks too.
I was listening to Drew Goodman yesterday on the radio (Radio AND TV hack) and a caller asked about trading for pitching and Goodman gave the song and dance to support ownership and their decisions to stay away from premier pitchers.
Well, this is what that looks like. No support for the offense.
Esmil Rogers in the mirror = Franklin Morales.
Yeah. We get rid of him he’ll be awesome for someone else. LOL.
Whatever the opposite of King Midas is, O’Dowd and Co have it.
Looked like it hit the top of the pole.
it looked foul but I had a skewed angle view
We’re stickin’ with Esmil!
Last night I listened on satellite radio and the Bos-O’s last 2 innings…they were apoplectic about Franklin’s pitch selection…Boston lost because of it, the announcers opined.
Every year it seems the Braves have some new stud call up. Heyward, Freeman, Kimbrel.
Where’s ours?
Flashback: Shawn Chacon, September 2004.
Is this 2011 all over again?…I’m afraid it’s starting to look that way.
Seems like Tracy isn’t really managing to win this game as much as just trying to avoid blowing through the pen again.
what else is he suppose to do? I think I may have been overly optomistic when I said the BP will be done by the end of July.
Here’s Goodman postulating again about fans not paying attention. How condescending, he doesn’t know whether the fan was watching or not.
But, he’s right. I’ve seen people bring babies to those areas, and chat away with their friends, not paying any attention to the game. So maybe the fan that was hit tonight was paying attention or not, but some fans are just plain stupid…. Remind them!!
Yeah, best to just shut up about it if we don’t know if someone is really hurt or not. Besides,it’s fans in the upper RF deck who are the ones that need to be paying attention when Rogers is pitching.
They had time to call someone up from Colo Springs there, but still it’s Rogers!
You’re in rare form tonight! LOL.
I walked away for supper when8-3.I can’t believe this is happening again.The “new” Jason Hammel is pitching better-BY FAR-than anything we currently have!Why aren’t we walking the bases loaded to set up DP AT ANY BASE?
because we prefer to hit them with the pitch….
When all else in your repertoire fails. Just throw it at their back!
OK, no choice now. Rogers will walk in the winning run. You gotta pull him.
Rogers may just have pitched himself into Felipe Paulinoland, a/k/a Kansas City, final resting place for once-promising prospects.
Way to go Rex!
Bourn can, at best, get a base hit. Throw fastballs down the middle please …
I predict the first players-only meeting of the year tonight or tomorrow before the game.
We have all heard the term, “spiraling out of control”…that is what I’m experiencing at this time.
How about somebody calling out the pitching staff? Hurt your feelings? How about being an athlete out on the mound…how about a bulldog attitude…this passive BS has GOT to stop…and fast!
I think the Monforts need to call out DOD for putting together this staff.
O’Dowd’s dumpster-diving for pitchers in the offseason has yielded just about nothing. Team pitching is simply abysmal.
Can it get any worse?
To end the pain,pray for rain! OOPS TOO LATE.
This would be embarassing in little league!
When was the last time Tulo made a diving stop? Just asking. I’ve had my head beat in with constant Tulo commercials about how awesome he is and what a hard worker he is. 3 pop ups, a DP, an error, balls past him, not covering second on a pick off attempt.
Is the guy’s head in the game tonight?
Awful. Awful. Dreadful. Disgusting.
Amateurish baseball all around. I mentioned Chacon 2004. We’re not quite there … yet. But we are pretty much in 2002 mode. 73-89. Buddy Bell got fired. Some real talent on that club but horrible player personnel decisions, inept on-field management, and lack of fundamental baseball started the fast spiral down to worst team in the league status …
Just a thought…I’m blaming jaredean for hanging out with his wife instead of us.
Anniversary? We don’t need no stinking anniversary.
Ed,I think you nailed it.altough a secret service date in Colombia would be reason enough to skip this fiasco.
Chipper really should thank the Rockies’ pitching staff during his Hall of Fame induction speech. He’s tormented them from when he was a rookie in ’95 during the playoffs all the way till tonight.
Were those actual boos coming from the faithful when the Braves’ seventh finally and mercifully was over?
Probably Braves fans disappointed they didn’t get more runs.
We’re 20 years in and visitor fans still fill the stadium.
Yes!!! two freakin nights in a row that Braves fans were more vocal at times. Hec, they were booing Moyering in the 1st for his throws to 1st. Rockies fans are too concerned with doing the freakin wave to worry about the game.
Prog, Tulo and CarGo have given up on laying out for balls. With CarGo it’s obvious. With Tulo, more subtle, but I’m seeing the beginnings of the loss of range.
Hey, I think that’ll solve our 3B problem!
And we can bring back Barmes to play short.
He’s hitting .171 with the Pirates.
Surely not with Camp Tulo!?!?!?!
Sure enough, the advanced defensive stats show Tulo slightly BELOW average at SS so far this year …
I opined back in early April,that Camp Tulo may have affected his flexiblity/quickness.
That has some merit.
If I’m O’Dowd, I’m banning Camp Tulo in Winter 2012-13. Too much macho posturing, not enough agility and baseball smarts
I hope Tulo doesn’t go cry on the phone to his agent in a coffee shop tomorrow.
Braves…14 hits
14-33 … .424
Pitiful
Camp Tulo verdict so far:
Fowler: no improvement
Tulo: fielding/agility in the wrong direction
Giambi: who cares? Let him find “legal supplements” on his own
Arenado: was better in the Arizona Fall League (elite AA competition) before Camp Tulo than he’s been in Tulsa after
Good summary!
Tulo’s pop ups are sailing a little higher this year.
Last night…
19-49 … .388
Carlos Torres in Japan: 27.1 IP, 6.26 ERA, club dumped him. When you hit the end of the line in Japan, remember: the Rockies may still call you!
3 up 3 down though! Of course we have to PH for him….
Please do not delay this!
Shows the value of at least throwing strikes. Line drive but right at CarGo. I’ll take that over walks, HBPs, and wild pitches any night
Cargo is killing it! Please do not HIDP, Tulo.
This will give Tulo a little extra time to stress himself out before his AB.
Sorry Prog. Candidate for Worst Night at Coors Field Ever.
1. Blew a 5 run lead.
2. Embarrassing plays in the field.
3. Fan carted off on a stretcher.
4. Wind blowing dirt and grocery bags in everyone’s eyes
5. Thunderstorm rain delay prolonging the agony.
And I had thought about going tonight …
and some of us paid for that entertainment. I am shocked at the number of fans I still see there.
Awesome, at least Rosario had a good night. Can’t remember where I read it but someon was wondering if he needs to be in aaa catching nightly. I think hes handling playing 2x a week pretty well. Thoughts?
Prog, I think he’s doing fine. He’s been a perfectly decent backup catcher, and I suspect he’s learning just by playing a couple times a week and watching big league pitching. Now if the Rockies fall completely out of contention I’d be for sending him down to play at AAA every day.
Oops meant to plus 1 dang ipod.
Why do they send it right into recorded programming? Can’t Tracy and George talk about something?
I always wondered about that. Root just isn’t equipped to do baseball news/updates, etc. But don’t they lose the vast majority of their viewers when the go into the repeat canned programming?
Jamie Moyer interview on KOA
Are you guy excited for the amateur draft? 10th pick!
Pitching,Pitching,Pitching,and more pitching!
Offense is much better than last year, but problem is pitching is possibly the worst one in the franchise history. It’s time to do wholesale changes. Belisle, Brothers, and Betancourt are safe. Move Moyer to the pen as he’s good for two times though the lineup. Bring in Outman and Putnam. Torres or similar for final spot. Guthrie, Nicasio, and Pomeranz in the rotation. Add two of Friedrich, White, Chatwood. This much is clear : status quo isn’t working and it’s time to find out who can help us in the future.
CRAP! Checkin the “final score” at the party and all i can say is WTF?!?
What is the delay? Up here in Longmont-no rain,little distant type lightening,and gusty winds.Is it that bad down there guys?And this screws the bullpen even more,as Torres was the only 1-2-3 inning of the game.[I think].
Really bad lightning. A severe thunderstorm warning issued for metro Denver.
Some big lighting but not really that much rain here in Denver … I tend to get Coors Field weather about 5-10 minutes later.
They resumed the game … so empty you can hear individual fans griping. One guy: “could they get someone who can throw strikes?”
And after the walk, a 4th error.
Again, I’ll remind folks of 2004: I couldn’t stop watching that trainwreck.
Ab, I’m actually shocked at the number of fans I still see there. It was 7th inning coupled with the lightning …see ya.
Can ROOT please remove Joel Klatt from further Rox broadcasts? He is always interrupting Cowboy or Huey before they finish their comments.
With the demise of The Mountain, Roger Bailey should be available. I used to enjoy the byplay between him and Jeff Huson.
Stinko de Mayo.
I have been a DOD supporter all along, but this year could be his Waterloo. We’re never going to see top-flight studs on the mound here, but there is a precedent for getting some guys who can at least represent. I have no problem with Moyer, he has been the Rox best option this year, but they have to do something. I remember success from Astacio, Francis, Kevin Ritz, hell… even Brian Bohannon. Unless DOD gets some average or better guys on the mound, this team can put all the bats they want in the lineup, they will lose. I still think Guthrie can be decent, but you can’t win with a top 3 of Drew, Guthrie and Nicasio. OK, DLR is coming back, and Moyer hasn’t been horrible, but……. ?
The bullpen is a joke beyond Brothers, Belisle and Betancourt. Esmil has to go… sorry. As do the rest. Picking up a decent reliever shouldn’t be too hard, should it? Then do it!
As for Tulo… wtf is up with him? He’s turned into Neifi Perez for crying out loud!
Is it Tracy? Is it Doc? Is it DOD? The owners? Can’t blame the players this time (though many of them do not belong on the mound at Coors), they were the scapegoats last year. Whoever it is, fix it for crying out loud!
this team will not go anywhere with tracy and O’Dowd at the helm its that simple. Monfort doesn’t care tho he’s just interested in making as much money as possible. Year of the fan apparently well us fans are not happy what so ever about the rockies!! O’Dowd cannot spot talent but as long as the clubhouse is better thats all that manners,
Tracy is a bad manager last 7 of his managerial seasons he’s only accumulated a winning record in 2 of them (2009 and 2010
pitching is the worst in franchise history, read an article in the denverpost saying jamie moyer must save this rotation. When you ask a 49 year old to save you……. OUR PITCHING SUCKSSSSSS
*matters
The Denver Post reported that Tulo changed his walk-up song.
You see, that’s why he hasn’t gotten hot yet. His first walk-up song was a good song for a change, and he probably can’t hit unless he has some awful walk up that makes everyone in the park – except teen age girls – cringe.
Wow – 93 comments! Impressive. I have absolutely nothing positive to add, just wanted to join the big party.
Well I said a month or so ago here that I predict 77 wins, perhaps I will adjust downward as I don’t see that happening. Hey Rockies, please use 2 hands when catching fly balls just like you did in when you were 10!!
Tyler Colvin did use two hands trying to catch the ball at the warning track.